Hitotsubashi University
Business Law Student Exchange Program

Hitotsubashi University’s Graduate School of Law, Department of Business Law (“HBL”) offers a Business Law Student Exchange Program as part of its Global Business Law Program. The Business Law Student Exchange Program is an elite program that offers dynamic evening classes with working professionals as fellow students and taught by leading experts of several nationalities, field trips to places of legal significance, and internships for first-hand experience of the legal profession in Tokyo.

For details, check out our brochure

My exchange semester at Hitotsubashi University was definitely one of the best experiences I had during law school. In the program, we had students from all over the world, who brought different perspectives to class discussion. The professors are knowledgeable in not only the law but also the business and cultural practices in Japan, which helped us gain a deeper and more rounded understanding of Japanese law and Japanese society. In addition to the classes, I really enjoyed the field trips and the internship experience at the Tokyo office of a foreign law firm. I highly recommend this Hitotsubashi exchange program to law students who have an interest in Japanese law or an interest to live and practice in Japan in the future.

Yilin (Zoey) Zhu
Columbia University School of Law

 

My semester at Hitotsubashi was a wonderful experience both academically and personally. The courses were taught by outstanding teachers who were able to make difficult subjects interesting and easy to understand. The subjects of these classes fit perfectly into my curriculum at my home university and gave me a new outlook on legal issues.

Lea Leyrer
Goethe University Frankfurt

 

The Hitotsubashi exchange gave me a unique chance to understand so much more than the black letter framework of Japan’s legal system. I was immersed in the socio-cultural context of the law and had the opportunity to compare Japanese law and business practices to other countries. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to undertake an internship with a law firm in Tokyo, which provided an amazing window into the working life of Japanese and foreign lawyers. If you are keen on a Japanese legal career, or if you would like to bring legal insights back to your home country, the Hitotsubashi exchange is the perfect way to experience life and the law in Japan.

Alice Kennedy
Melbourne Law School

 

Hitotsubashi’s exchange program was a great break from the usual studying and examination style back in Singapore. Instead of written exams, we had to write papers and give presentations on topics of our choice. As someone who learns better and more intuitively when learning about topics I’m personally interested in, this allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the subjects covered in class but on my own terms. It might seem daunting to have to write so many papers but rest assured that you’ll be able to handle it – we all did, and still had a great time. The field trips were well-thought out and provided a greater understanding of different aspects of Japan’s corporate/ legal systems. The destinations were places we wouldn’t have been able to visit if the school didn’t plan for them.

Emelia Kwa
Singapore Management University

 

The program was outstandingly well organized to give students a great opportunity to learn more about Japanese law, also in comparison with other jurisdictions, from both a theoretical and practical point of view. In particular, the internship gave me the unique opportunity to observe the work of Japanese attorneys in my field of interest. I strongly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in Japanese law and the Japanese culture. It was an unforgettable experience for me!

Svenja Schenck
Goethe University Frankfurt

 

Last year I took the Dispute Resolution class with exchange students and we had a mock arbitration. Each student played a character in the business world, such as CEO of an oil company, his secretary, the company’s legal counsel etc. It was fun and valuable experience because I learned how international arbitration works and that we can be “one team” beyond our nationalities for common interests.

Fumiko Asano
HBL Masters student in Global Business Law

 

I participated in the Business Law Student Exchange Program in its inaugural year. It was an extremely fulfilling and enriching experience. The program offers a comparative and international approach to the study of business law, complemented by highly interactive classes taught by prominent academics and practitioners. The program’s unique combination of practice and theory was one of the highlights for me. Throughout the semester, you have the opportunity to enhance your learning through an internship and various field trips, all of which provide invaluable insights into the legal profession in Japan. I highly recommend this program to those with an interest in an international career or anyone who hopes to gain a truly comparative perspective on business law while living in one of the most exciting and intriguing cities in the world.

Stephen McCann
University of Sydney

 

The curriculum at Hitotsubashi was most enlightening in exposing students to Japanese legal practice and culture as a whole. Coupled with field trips to places of legal significance, link-ups with firms for internships and the international nature of the courses, the exchange programme was, for me, unforgettable.

Chun Wai Poon
Singapore Management University

 

The Hitotsubashi business law program is a very well-arranged combination of theory, discussion with students from different jurisdictions, and practical insights. In addition to professional enrichment, this exchange program gives the possibility to get to know people from all around the world, who share the common interest in the culture and law system of Japan. Especially the internships in Tokyo law firms offer outstanding first-hand experience. Participating in this program was a truly unique and unforgettable experience for me.

Hans Trageser
Goethe University Frankfurt

 

Although I thought that I understood the Japanese legal system and culture well enough to discuss it with students from foreign countries, I found the reality was so different. Being in class with students from other backgrounds and with different perspectives was an interesting and useful opportunity for me to “internationalize” my perspective and my communication style.

Yasushi Shinozaki
HBL Masters student in Global Business Law

 

I greatly enjoyed my experience in Hitotsubashi’s business law program. The courses were well curated and my classmates were smart and diverse, representing the legal systems of at least seven different countries. Listening to and engaging with these global perspectives in class discussions focused on international business law topics was, for me, a truly invaluable and unique experience.

Justin Sha
UC Hastings College of Law

 

It was enlightening to be in a classroom with students from so many countries. Even though we were studying Japanese business law, everyone did so in the context of the other country’s law that they knew (such as Germany or Singapore), as well as the style of legal interpretation common to their jurisdiction. This diversity in the classroom helped me to understand multiple points of view and how people see and interpret things differently based on experience, culture, etc. Since we all want to do business worldwide, this was a precious opportunity. I feel more connected to the world from studying this way.

Ryoko Ishino
HBL Masters student in Global Business Law

 

For academic information on the Business Law Student Exchange Program, contact

Professor Vicki Beyer
Program Director
Hitotsubashi University
Graduate School of Law（Business Law Department)